All That You Are
by tlyxor1
Summary: Recently widowed, Eleanor Potter relocates to the United States. There, she crosses paths with the man she'd never expected to find; her soulmate, Aaron Hotchner. Soulmates AU. OOC. Hotch/Eleanor (fem!Harry). Post Season 4.
1. Part 1: Chapter 1

**All That You Are**

 **Disclaimer:** I don't own Harry Potter. All recognisable characters, content, or locations belong to their respective owners. No copyright infringement intended.

 **Summary:** Recently widowed, Eleanor Potter relocates to Washington DC. There, she crosses paths with the man she'd never expected to find; her soulmate, Aaron Hotchner. Soulmates AU. OOC. Hotch/Eleanor (fem!Harry).

 **Rating:** M for violence, character death, mild adult themes, and language.

 **Author:** tlyxor1.

 **All That You Are**

 **Part One: The Reaper**

" **Bad things happen to everyone. It isn't your experiences that define your life. It's your responses that make or break you." - Unknown.**

 **Chapter One: The Burrow**

After 10 years spent in the Italian alps, it was almost a shock to the system to return to Britain. It was a brief layover before her family's indefinite relocation to the US, but as Eleanor Zabini settled at the Burrow's familiar, weathered dining table, as she sipped at Molly Weasley's homemade lemonade, she could almost relax.

Almost.

"You're tense," Mrs Weasley - Molly, these days - observed, and Eleanor's smile was wry. The woman had always been able to read her like a book. "You won't take your eyes off the boys. What's wrong?"

"Carmella has gotten in way over her head," Eleanor explained, "She married someone very powerful, and very dangerous, and she made a mistake. Blaise…"

Blaise had not died in an accident, but Eleanor wouldn't admit that out loud. Most would attribute it to the mindless babbling of a grief-stricken, traumatised widow, but others would not, and Eleanor wouldn't risk her family's safety with an utterance of the truth.

She shook her head instead, wiped at red-rimmed, bloodshot eyes, and forced a sad, feeble laugh. "I'm sorry. I'm such a mess."

"Which is entirely understandable, Ellie," Molly acknowledged. She'd picked up on Eleanor's unspoken message, of course - how could she not? - but she didn't pursue the matter. "Would you like to talk about it?"

Eleanor shook her head, no, and swallowed back a sob. She was tired of crying, tired of the emotional imbalance that wasn't completely due to her pregnancy. She just wanted to get back to the daily grind of her life, get into a routine she could lose herself in.

She wasn't sure what her life without Blaise would be like, but Eleanor knew she couldn't continue like this.

her boys needed her, needed an emotionally stable mother in the tumult their lives had suddenly become, and at the moment, Eleanor was far from any semblance of that.

"Alright," Molly acknowledged, "Then tell me about your new house."

Before she could, Sebastian bounded into the kitchen in tears, threw himself across Eleanor's lap, and proceeded to inform her, in garbled Italian, that Anthony had pushed him.

Anthony, in the doorway, protested vehemently. Behind him, Teddy rolled his eyes, long-suffering.

It was sometimes difficult to believe he was only 11. Much like Remus Lupin in demeanour and appearance, he was quiet, kind-hearted, and generous, though no less mischievous for it. She wasn't sure of _whom_ he'd inherited that particular trait from, though it often made for entertaining anecdotes.

In the three months since Blaise's funeral, Teddy, without request or direction, had taken up the task of wrangling Anthony and Sebastian with a quiet dignity that often brought Eleanor to tears. She was immensely proud of him, told him as much, and only ever received pink cheeks and a sheepish grin for the effort.

She only wished Remus, Tonks, and Blaise could see him now.

" _They were fighting over the quaffle, Mama. Antonio forgot himself._ "

At six years old, Anthony was two years older than Sebastian, and notably bigger, too. They'd both be tall when they grew older, tall and slim and broad shouldered like their father, but in the meantime, Anthony had to watch himself, and Sebastian had to stop antagonising his brother.

Good luck explaining that to a four year old, however.

" _What did I tell you both about fighting?_ "

They mumbled their identical answers, and Eleanor sent them each to a corner, noses to the wall. They'd remain there in silence for four and six minutes, respectively, and while they cried their protest, Eleanor occupied herself with assisting Molly with the dinner preparation.

It was in this scene that Ron and Hermione arrived, arms wound around each other's shoulders. They were close, as soulmates tended to be, and the ache of loss was heavy in her chest. Blaise hadn't been her soulmate, but she had loved him regardless, and she missed him every day.

"Ellie," Hermione greeted her with a hug. Behind her, Ron pulled Teddy into a headlock, and they both laughed. "How are you?"

"I'm getting by," she answered, and it was probably the most honest answer she could give. "I'm glad you could make it. I wasn't sure if I'd catch you this visit."

"As if we'd miss an opportunity to see you, Elle," Ron answered for them both. He slung an arm over her shoulders, pressed an affectionate kiss to her brow, and approached his mother.

"We've been worried about you," Hermione continued, "How are the boys?"

"They miss their papa," Eleanor answered, her expression bleak, "Every time they ask me when he's coming home, I swear another part of me dies inside."

Hermione squeezed her hands, silently supportive, and changed the subject to other things. She spoke of her work with the Wizengamot in her stead as the Potter proxy, and they were joined shortly thereafter by Percy Weasley.

His longtime girlfriend, Audrey Hawthorne, was notably absent, but as Hermione and Percy began a debate regarding the equality of magical beings, Eleanor knew not to pry. She also knew that their discussion was one she wanted no part of.

Instead, she sought out her children. Teddy had them building block towers in the living room, and Eleanor settled herself on the couch, content simply to watch.

They seemed so carefree. Teddy, not so much as Anthony and Sebastian, though enough to make him smile.

Children, she'd found, had a remarkable ability to adapt, regardless of the changes around them.

Arthur Weasley settled on the arm of the chair Eleanor had settled herself in. He carded a hand through her hair, watched her children, and smiled, nostalgic.

"I remember a scene very much like this one," he reminisced fondly. "Those were some wonderful times."

Eleanor chuckled lowly. It was tinged with a fatigue she couldn't hide. "This peace won't last, Arthur."

"I don't doubt it," he laughed merrily. "But then, you have to have the bad moments to be able to cherish the best of them, don't you? It's all worth it in the end."

"I'll remember that," Eleanor acknowledged. The smile she offered him was small, albeit genuine. "Thanks, Arthur."

"Anytime, love," he answered, tugged the ends of her hair lightly, and meandered into the kitchen. There, he greeted Molly with a hug from behind, and an affectionate nuzzle to the side of her neck.

They, too, were soulmates.

The concept was a curious phenomenon, though no one could remember it's origins. It went, simply, that the first words an individual's soulmate would say appeared somewhere on one's skin at the age of 11. It was in the person's handwriting, and in the colour of their eyes, and that was that.

Some people went their whole lives waiting for them. Others found their soulmates young, as Arthur and Molly had, and Ron and Hermione, too. Others didn't have soulmate words at all.

Eleanor herself hadn't waited. She was convinced that fate had kicked her in the teeth too often to cut her a break so easily.'. Instead, she'd fallen in love with Blaise, had married him, had carried and birthed his children. She had planned a lifetime with him, one they would never get to share.

Instead, they'd had ten wonderful, glorious years, and it wasn't nearly long enough.

She'd wanted forever.

Brought from her thoughts by Molly's exclamation that dinner was ready, Eleanor trailed behind her boys into the backyard. There, Bill and Percy had set up the outdoor tables. The spread was extensive, and as usual, Molly had outdone herself.

Thus, food was eaten, conversations were had, and before long, it was time for Eleanor to leave. Dusk had fallen, and her transport had arrived.

"Stay in touch, won't you?" Molly requested. "And take care of yourself. And let me know when you're due, as well. I'll come by to help around the house."

"You noticed, did you?" Eleanor queried, a wry smile on her face. She should have known better than to expect anything less. The woman had raised Fred and George, after all.

"Of course," she answered, as though it should have been obvious, "Now go. Time is wasting."

They hugged again, as did she with Ron and Hermione, and then she slid into the back of the Mercedes Benz, closed the door behind her, and settled back in the leather seat. In the rearview mirror, Draco Malfoy watched her from the driver's seat, concerned.

"You look exhausted, Eleanor."

"I am," she answered blandly, "Thanks for noticing. Will you drive, please?"

The blonde acquiesced with a nod, and the magically-enhanced trip to Gatwick was spent in a companionable silence.

They'd come a long way from the adversaries of years passed. It could mainly be credited to Blaise, who hadn't been able to stand for his best friend and wife being at each other's throats at any hour of the day. Time and distance had helped, too.

In the wake of Blaise's passing, Draco had been more of a friend than Eleanor had ever expected of him. He'd helped pack up she and Blaise's house in Turin, had helped organise her new home in Virginia, had made sure she ate and slept regularly.

Eleanor owed him a debt, and she had no idea how she would ever pay him back.

"We're here," Draco declared.

Eleanor nodded her acknowledgement, pulled herself out of the car, and helped Sebastian and Anthony out, as well. They were on the airstrip, the private plane Draco had organised in front of them. It was a luxury she'd grown marginally accustomed to while married to Blaise, but sometimes, the wealth she had at her disposal was mind-boggling.

"There will be a car waiting for you on the other side," Draco informed her, "All of your immigrations paperwork has been organised, as well. Your driver will have everything you need to get settled. Are you ready?"

"Not in the slightest," she answered honestly, "But this… we need this. I do, anyway."

"I know," Draco acknowledged. "It's why I didn't bother arguing with you over the matter."

Draco bade farewell to Teddy, his cousin's son, and to Sebastian and Anthony, as well. To them, he'd been 'Zio Draco' for as long as they could remember, and thus they each hugged him happily. They would see him again, of course.

"Do I get a hug from you, Potter?" He jested.

Eleanor rolled her eyes playfully, hugged him fiercely, and whispered her gratitude in his ear.

"Thank you, for everything."

"Don't mention it," he insisted. "I couldn't have lived with myself, otherwise. Now go; the pilots are waiting."

Eleanor helped Sebastian and Anthony up the stairs, Teddy behind them. Inside the plane, she settled them in seats as the door was closed, buckled them in, and dropped into the leather seat across from the two. Teddy sat next to her, Eleanor closed her eyes, and the next thing she knew, her small family had left Britain far behind.

 **Author's Note:** Thoughts? Please, no spoilers for Season 11. I've not started watching it yet. Hope you enjoyed. -t.


	2. Part 1: Chapter 2

**All That You Are**

 **Part One: The Reaper**

" **Bad things happen to everyone. It isn't your experiences that define your life. It's your responses that make or break you." - Unknown.**

 **Chapter Two: The Settling**

A standard flight to Dulles international Airport, from Gatwick, would take 11 hours. There would be a brief layover in New York, to re-fuel, and she would arrive at Dulles at roughly six o'clock in the morning, bleary eyed, jet lagged, and with three children ready and rearing for another day of adventure.

This was not a standard flight.

Instead, the private plane had been enhanced with all the best accents the magical and mundane worlds had to offer. It shortened the flight time to eight hours, it made the layover obsolete, and when she arrived in Washington DC, it was midnight (local time), and her three boys were dragging. She was still jet lagged, of course, but Eleanor conceded that she couldn't have everything.

An immigrations officer was awaiting her on the tarmac, and under the harsh glow of a nearby floodlight, he rifled through her paperwork with a gimlet eye. Americans had been rather stringent with border security since the 9/11 disaster, and although justifiable, the caution wasn't appreciated.

Eventually, however, he stamped the necessary pages, returned the paperwork to Eleanor's waiting hands, and bade her a cheerful welcome. He gestured to the sleek black BMW that awaited her, and as she watched, her driver deposited her solitary suitcase in the boot.

She recognised his face.

It was Pietro Zabini, and it ached to look at him. He bore a striking resemblance to his cousin, Blaise, but as he welcomed her with a hug, and her boys as well, it was also wonderful to see a familiar face.,

" _How was your flight?_ "

" _Uneventful_ ," she answered, " _I'm ready to sleep for a year._ "

Pietro helped her get the boys settled into the back. Afterwards, they made themselves comfortable in the front - Eleanor in the passenger seat - and he addressed her again. In English, this time.

"The drive to your home will take 45 minutes," he said, "Feel free to take a nap."

Eleanor nodded her acknowledgement, though she didn't fall asleep. Instead, she watched the night darkened scenery as it passed them by, content to sit in silence as a variety of Italian artists filtered from Pietro's speakers. She recognised a fair number, couldn't recognise even more, but the music almost felt like home.

She'd lost track of how many times she and Blaise had stayed up late, drinking wine and slow dancing to old songs on the radio. He'd sing along, would dramatically act out the lyrics to make her laugh, and for a while, they'd been able to pretend as though they were in their own little bubble, untouched by the rest of the world. She'd loved those nights.

Brought from her reverie as Pietro pulled into a gated driveway, Eleanor glanced up to her new home, and exhaled unsteadily. A rendered house with a wrap-around porch, two storeys, and six bedrooms. A two car garage, four bathrooms, and more space than she really knew what to do with. Top-notch security, unsurprisingly, an entertainment area in the backyard (pool included), and no memories of Blaise whatsoever.

"Bentornato a casa," she muttered to herself.

Pietro helped carry Sebastian and Anthony into their temporary bedroom, and Teddy shuffled along behind them. He dropped gracelessly onto the third inflatable mattress there, and passed out without ado. Eleanor watched them a few moments, but retreated from the room as her cousin (in law) made motions to depart.

"Thank you," she said earnestly, "I appreciate your help, Pietro."

"Don't mention it, Ella," Pietro insisted, smiling. "I am happy to help. I have provided a list of local businesses, and my contact information. They are pinned to your refrigerator. Here are your house keys, and your car keys, and this is your license to perform magic in the United States. You will need to sit a Virginia State driving test, though after the streets of Turino I am sure you will manage that just fine. Now, go, rest. I will lock up, and show myself out."

Eleanor didn't protest. Instead, she meandered her way through the second storey until she found the master bedroom, dropped her head on the pillow, and fell asleep in moments. When she woke again, it was early morning, there were birds outside her window, and Eleanor was famished.

Her boys, curiously, were all still asleep.

Jet lag, she assumed, and proceeded to prepare breakfast. Pietro had provided a few basic groceries - bread, butter, milk, some fruits and cocoa - and thus it was awaiting her boys when they woke, bleary eyed half an hour later.

As they ate, Eleanor cleared up the used dishes, unpacked the rest of the kitchenware, and sent them all to cupboards and drawers with a wave of her wand.

That only left every other room in the house to be unpacked.

Moreover, she had to enrol Teddy in the Virginia Institute of Magic, Anthony in the local primary - pardon, _elementary_ \- school, and Sebastian in their version of nursery, whatever it was. Groceries needed to be bought, powerpoint adaptors, the list of errands went on.

Merlin, but she was already exhausted.

"Are you alright, Mama?" Teddy asked. His English was significantly better than his brothers', primarily due to his age, but also just because he'd been interested in learning it. These days, he mostly just spoke English to communicate without Sebastian or Anthony understanding a word he said.

"Just a lot to do, Teddy," Eleanor answered, a weary smile on her face, "Can you and your brothers pick out bedrooms, please?"

Once they'd each done so, Teddy took Sebastian and Anthony out to play in the backyard. Eleanor took their distraction as an opportunity to unpack the rest of the house, confident that Teddy could watch over the younger two, but certain to maintain a monitoring spell, just in case.

She'd forbade them to swim without her supervision, of course, but accidents happened, and Eleanor wouldn't risk her boys.

Even as she kept half her attention on the monitoring spell, Eleanor got to work.

It would be a long few days, though that wasn't something new. It seemed that, since she'd found Blaise assassinated in their own home, her days had simultaneously dragged and flown by.

Eleanor struggled to believe that it had already been three months since he'd died. At the same time, the thought of another three months without him was agonising.

Grief, Eleanor reflected, was an awful, familiar friend. This time though, she was uncertain if it was something she would - or could - ever recover so long, Blaise Zabini had been her life. Her best friend. Her husband. The father of her children.

She wasn't sure how to live her life without him in it.

For her boys, however, Eleanor was determined to try. She wouldn't lose herself, as Carmella had, or leave them to a life without their parents, as James and Lily had (unwillingly) done, and Remus and Tonks, as well. They needed her, and Eleanor wasn't about to let them down.

She was all they had left.

 **Author's Note:** Next chapter, we meet Hotch in an edited and expanded version of the oneshot from my soulmates series. Hope you're looking forward to it as much as I am. -t.


	3. Part 1: Chapter 3:

**All That You Are**

 **Part One: The Reaper**

" **Bad things happen to everyone. It isn't your experiences that define your life. It's your responses that make or break you." - Unknown.**

 **Chapter Three: The Soulmate**

A week later, and Eleanor finally had some time to breathe. The house had been unpacked, her boys had been enrolled in their respective schools, a healer that specialised in obstetrics had been found, and all of those other errands on her mind had been completed. She had thus agreed to an afternoon in the park a few blocks from their new home, much to Anthony and Sebastian's delight. Teddy was considerably more contained, though he, too, seemed pleased about getting out of the house.

The park itself was rather family friendly, with a fully-equipped playground, a number of barbecue areas, and even a public restroom. It was bordered by a lake on the edge of Mountclair, and it was also occupied by a variety of strangers of all ages, races, and ethnicities.

She watched, content, as Teddy entertained his brothers on the swings, and marvelled over how much they'd grown. Anthony had already lost his first two teeth, Sebastian was about to start attending nursery three days a week, and Teddy had turned 11 in March.

Brought from her reverie as someone coughed politely to gather her attention, Eleanor glanced up at the man stood slightly to her right. He was tall, clad in jeans and a faded t-shirt, with wide shoulders and a narrow waist. He was handsome, too, with dark hair and an inscrutable expression, and Eleanor managed a smile.

"Would you mind if I joined you, ma'am?" He gestured towards the empty space beside her, and Eleanor nodded her acquiescence, her thoughts on other things. His voice was a low, gravelly baritone, but she'd had the words he'd said memorised from the age of 11, and she hesitated.

To speak, or not to?

Uncertain, she trailed her finger tips over the subtle swell of her abdomen, watched her boys, and contemplated the future.

She wasn't ready to move on from Blaise. In all honesty, she wasn't sure she would ever be. But could she let the chance, even the slightest possibility, slip between her fingers before she could even try?

Internally, she shook her head, no. She already had too many regrets behind her. She didn't want another one.

Maybe nothing would come of her association with the soulmate she'd never thought she would meet, maybe they'd become nothing more than friends. Maybe, some day in the future, her battered heart would find the strength to love again, but unless Eleanor said something, those possibilities would pass her by, and there was no telling if she would ever get them back.

"Do you believe in fate?" She queried.

Beside her, the man drew in a sharp breath, startled by her enquiry, and justifiably so. It was an odd question, without a doubt, and not one generally brought up in casual conversation between strangers. But then…

"I think I do," he answered, and his voice was hoarse. Awkwardly, he offered his hand, and Eleanor shook it, humoured. "I'm Aaron. Aaron Hotchner."

"Eleanor," she replied, "Eleanor Zabini. It's a pleasure to meet you."

"Likewise," he acknowledged.

At the same time, Teddy approached, dropped onto the picnic blanket by Eleanor's feet, and produced his Nintendo DS from their lunch basket. Anthony and Sebastian had found their way to the slides, and evidently, Teddy's services were no longer required.

"Your son?" Aaron queried. There was no judgement in his tone, simply curiosity, and despite herself, Eleanor was pleased.

"My eldest," she confirmed, "Teddy, this is Aaron Hotchner. He's… a new friend."

Teddy glanced between them, arched a peaked black eyebrow, and nodded slowly. His skeptical expression, however, spoke volumes on his thoughts of that introduction, and Eleanor chuckled to herself, unsurprised. He'd always been a perceptive, considerate child.

"Pleased to meet you, Mr Hotchner."

"Likewise," Aaron repeated. He glanced towards one of the slides, to a small blonde boy in an Ironman t-shirt, and queried, "How many children do you have?"

"I have three sons, and I'm 24 weeks pregnant."

Eleanor wondered if that would be an issue for him. There were stories that soulmates had been rejected for such reasons, or due to other things - like race, or disability, or even financial status - and the number of those stories increased every day. she supposed that, if it _was_ an issue, it was best if they discovered it early.

"Congratulations," he offered her a smile, hesitated briefly, and continued, "I'm sorry your husband never got to meet him."

"Or her," Teddy opined, bit down on the insides of his cheeks, and blinked away tears. Eleanor, as she twisted the widow's band around her ring finger, struggled to do the same, mouthed a soundless 'thank you' in Aaron's direction, and turned away to compose herself.

As she did, a handkerchief was thrust into her line of sight, and Eleanor accepted it with a watery laugh. She wiped her eyes, and at her nose, and hesitated to return it afterwards. She offered it regardless, and he accepted it without qualms.

"I'm sorry," she muttered, "It's still fresh."

"I should be the one apologising," Aaron insisted, "I overstepped. That was inappropriate of me."

"You couldn't have known," Eleanor justified, "Don't worry about it."

He offered her a sheepish smile. "I'm not normally so tactless. I confess you've caught me rather off guard."

"The feeling is mutual," Eleanor answered, tone droll. She watched her boys, Sebastian and Anthony, and glanced at Aaron. His attention was on the little blonde boy again, and she queried, "Is that your son?"

"Yes," he confirmed, smiling, "That's Jack. He's recently turned four."

The curiosity niggled - what of Jack's mother? - but Eleanor didn't ask. She'd learned tact somewhere along the way, and unless he raised the subject himself, it wasn't any of her business. They'd just met, after all.

"He's precious," she acknowledged, and the discussion of children continued. She informed him that she'd raised them in Italy, and as a consequence, neither of her younger two - Anthony and Sebastian - spoke a lot of English. She'd slowly started to introduce English nouns into their vocabulary, and progress was slow.

"I think it's partly my fault," she admitted, "I really don't want them to stop speaking Italian."

"No reason why they can't speak both," Aaron answered, and Eleanor conceded the point with a nod. "Do you speak any other languages?"

"French. Some Welsh, some Gaelic. Latin. You?"

"Not fluently, no," he denied, "I can read Latin, though. Bi-product of law school, if you will."

"A lawyer?" She queried.

"Not anymore, no. I actually work with the FBI these days."

Teddy glanced up from his video game at that, apparently intrigued. He'd watched enough American television to understand what the FBI was, and evidently, his curiosity was peaked.

"What do you do there, Mr Hotchner?"

"I study suspect behaviour to catch criminals," Aaron answered, "It's a rather demanding job."

Teddy didn't ask if Aaron had a gun, or if he'd ever had to use it. He'd been raised by war veterans, and he'd learned a long time ago that some questions were better left unanswered.

"May I please see your badge?" He asked instead.

Aaron laughed, produced the billfold from the back pocket of his jeans, and offered it to her sweet boy. "Here you go."

As Teddy studied every inch of it, Aaron turned to Eleanor, and the witch waited, expectant.

"What do you do for a living?"

"I used to be a nurse, but I'm a full time mother these days," she replied, "I confess to not missing it."

"I think that's more rewarding than any job out there."

"I'm inclined to agree."

They made idle chit chat as Teddy played his video games, and as their collective boys ran wild throughout the playground. She learned that he was a New York native, that he'd attended Columbia, and that he'd lived in Mountclair for a decade. He and his ex-wife, Haley, shared custody of their only son, Jack, whom - as it happened - attended the same daycare Sebastian was about to start at.

Eventually, however, the sun began it's descent in the western sky, and it was time to return her boys home.

"Would it be presumptuous to ask for your number?" Aaron queried. "I don't think either of us are looking for a relationship right now, but I don't want to spend the rest of my life wondering."

"Nor do I," she admitted, offered him her mobile phone, and answered, "I don't know my number by heart yet, but I can text you right now?"

They exchanged contact information, gathered drooping children, and separated to head to their respective homes. Teddy helped her get Sebastian and Anthony settled into their car seats, and once they were seated in the driver's seat and passenger seat, Teddy turned the radio's volume down low.

"Who was that man, Mama? Mr Hotchner?"

She glanced at the 11 year old, and admitted, "That man was my soulmate, bambino."

Teddy was uncertain. "What are you going to do?"

"I'm going to make a new friend, for now," she answered, "In the future, though? I don't know. I guess anything is possible."

"As long as you're happy, Mama. If he can maybe do that for you, then I don't think you should be scared to try."

Eleanor's smile was bittersweet. "You're too old for your years, my love."

After that, the rest of their drive was spent listening to Anthony and Sebastian regale mother and brother with their adventures at the playground. They made it home, and the afternoon passed into evening, and before she knew it, Anthony and Sebastian were in bed, Teddy was occupied with an episode of 'Avatar: The Last Airbender', and her phone chirped with an incoming text message.

It was from Aaron.

 _I thought I'd stopped waiting, but I guess I'd only forgotten I had. It was a pleasure to meet you today. I don't know what the future holds, but come what may, I hope I can get to know you further. Are you agreeable to this?_

Eleanor chewed her bottom lip. It wasn't a declaration of love, for which she was grateful, but it made her nervous all the same.

It took her a moment to realise it was the good kind of nervous.

 _Yes, I am._

And as Eleanor locked her phone screen, she was pleased to realise that she actually meant it.


	4. Part 1: Chapter 4

**All That You Are**

 **Part One: The Reaper**

" **Bad things happen to everyone. It isn't your experiences that define your life. It's your responses that make or break you." - Unknown.**

 **Chapter Four: The Birthday I**

Eleanor's 29th birthday dawned bright and early, and she was awoken by her boys. Teddy had made breakfast in bed - bread and butter, sliced fruits, and cocoa - and no doubt, the kitchen was a mess, but the gesture - accompanied by homemade birthday cards - was sweet, and she ate contentedly. Sebastian and Anthony curled up on either side of her, picked at the bowl of fruit she couldn't possibly eat alone, and chattered about the things they would do that day.

It wasn't the same as birthdays passed, when Blaise would wake her before dawn, with his teeth and tongue and lips and hands, but she was surrounded by her boys, and that was more than most received.

She missed her husband, regardless.

"Aunt Hermione called," Teddy informed her, "I told her you were sleeping, and I said you'd call her back later."

Eleanor nodded absently, unsurprised. She didn't speak with Ron and Hermione nearly as often as she once had, but birthdays between them had always been acknowledged, and circumstances notwithstanding, this year was no exception.

With a sideways glance, Teddy added, "Mr Hotchner did, too."

"He did?" She wondered, bemused. They'd exchanged a thread of text messages over the last week, but their conversations had been rather insubstantial, and Eleanor had not expected a phone call from him. "Why?"

Teddy cleared his throat, and his hair flared magenta. "I may or may not have mentioned that it was your birthday today."

Bewildered, she wondered, "When?"

"I borrowed your phone," he hedged, "I didn't want you to be alone."

Eleanor sighed, and couldn't find it in herself to be annoyed. Teddy only had the best of intentions, and misguided it may be, the gesture was adorable.

"I'll never be alone, Teddy. With you boys, I'll be just fine."

"Does that mean you're not going to call him back?" Teddy wondered, "Because I told him you would."

"Of course I will," she assured, "Breakfast first, though."

Eleanor took her time with her meal, and predictably, Anthony and Sebastian grew restless partway through. Teddy produced a pocketful of toy soldiers for them to play with, and while Eleanor finished her cocoa, Teddy made enquiries about whether or not he could join his new school's football (soccer) team.

Teddy would start at the Virginia Institute of Magic in a fortnight, and Eleanor was glad that he was excited about it. She'd worried that he'd be disappointed by the fact he wouldn't be attending Hogwarts, but he seemed pleased by the other opportunities VIM offered him. Namely, a football team.

" _I don't see why not_ ," Eleanor reasoned. He'd played at his old school, in Turin, and moreover, Teddy had loved it. It had been something he and Blaise had bonded over, and Eleanor wasn't about to deny him that link to the only father he'd ever known.

Teddy beamed, positively delighted, and Eleanor smiled in kind. She'd not seen that smile on her eldest's face in months, and it was a sight for sore eyes.

" _You'll have to give me your game schedule_ ," she commented, off-hand.

Teddy rolled his eyes. " _I'm not even on the team yet, Mama_."

" _Then when you_ _ **are**_ _on the team, bambino_ ," she answered, " _I need to watch your games, don't I_?"

" _If you want, Mama, but you don't have to._ "

" _I wouldn't miss them for the world,_ Teddy."

-!- -#-

With the kitchen cleared away, and her boys playing in the yard, Eleanor settled on one of the outdoor chaise lounges, unlocked her phone, and called Hermione. She answered promptly, and there was a laugh in her voice.

"Hey, you, about time you woke up. Happy Birthday!"

"Thanks, love," Eleanor acknowledged, "Sorry I missed your call earlier."

"It's no problem, really. Silly me; I forgot to take into consideration the time difference." She blew a raspberry on the other end of the line, self-deprecating, and laughed at herself. "Anyway, how are you?"

Eleanor sucked in a breath, and admitted, "Some days are better than others. I really like it here though."

"I'm glad," Hermione acknowledged, "And I'm sorry we can't help. I don't think either of us would even know where to start, in truth. Ron sends his love, by the way. He got called into work."

"You two have done enough," Eleanor insisted, "I think it's just a matter of taking each day as it comes, you know? And he's sweet. Tell him I said hello?"

"Of course," Hermione assured, "And if you ever need us, we're only a phone call away, remember?"

"I'll remember." Eleanor rolled her eyes, unsurprised by her friend's fretting. "I've got news, but you'll have to keep it quiet."

"If it's about the baby, Molly spilled the beans on that one a week after you left."

Eleanor laughed, humoured. "It's not, actually, but I'm glad you know. I just wasn't sure how to tell anyone."

"I guess that's understandable," Hermione conceded, "It was a bad time. If not that though, then what?"

Eleanor proceeded to tell Hermione about her encounter with her soulmate, and the brief text message exchanges since. She spoke, at length, about what she knew about him, and Hermione listened raptly, utterly fascinated.

"What do you want to happen?" Hermione queried.

"We're just friends at the moment. He's newly divorced, I think, and I'm still a mess, to be honest. I don't know if I'll ever be ready to date again."

"If you ever find that you are, don't be afraid to," Hermione advised, "What I knew of Zabini, I doubt he would have ever wanted you to spend the rest of your life alone."

Eleanor wouldn't give a promise she wasn't sure she could keep. Thus, as she blinked away hormone-induced tears, she answered, "I'll try, Hermione."

After that, they spoke of inconsequential things for a time, before finally, Eleanor hung up, and watched her boys. Teddy was teaching his brothers how to kick a football around the yard, and the other two, Anthony and Sebastian, paid rapt attention. She summoned a camera and took a picture for posterity's sake, but her phone caught her attention, and she remembered the other phone call she had yet to make.

With only a few moments of hesitation, Eleanor called Aaron's personal number, and exhaled when he answered. A part of her hadn't expected him to, almost certain he would be on a case, but lo and behold, he seemed to have been awaiting her call. Or at the very least, he wasn't surprised by it.

"Hi there," he greeted warmly, "Happy Birthday."

"Thank you," Eleanor acknowledged, "It was very kind of you to call."

"I was happy to," Aaron assured, and queried, "What have you been up to today?"

"Not much. Teddy and the boys made me breakfast in bed, but otherwise, it's been fairly standard."

"How do you feel about Chinese takeout and a Disney Pixar movie?"

"That depends," she hedged, "What's the movie?"

"'Finding Nemo', of course."

"It sounds great, then," she answered, smiling. They spent a few minutes hammering out the details, but eventually, Eleanor left him to his morning errands, and returned inside to complete her own. A monitoring spell stretched across the yard, of course, but Teddy seemed to have everything in hand.

Eleanor, as she cleaned, stilled the portraits in their frames, and cleared the house of any overtly magical influences, as well. She was uncertain if Aaron was 'in the know' yet, but Eleanor wasn't about to assume, only to be proven incorrect.

She'd made that mistake too often in school, and it didn't bear repeating.

"What are you up to?" Draco Malfoy enquired, during his phone call with her that afternoon. "You sound… frazzled."

"I have a guest coming over," she explained, "He's non-magical, as far as I know, and I never realised how many magical toys Anthony and Sebastian had in their collection."

"Who is this guest of yours, then?"

Eleanor offered up a simplified version of her meeting with her soulmate, and of the subsequent communications since. Draco hummed noncommittally when she was done, though Eleanor took comfort in the fact that he wasn't outraged by her association with him.

"I'll have to run a background check," Draco forewarned, and Eleanor rolled her eyes, unimpressed, though unsurprised. "Make sure this fellow is worth your time, you understand? He has enormous shoes to fill."

"We're not like that," she insisted, irritated.

"not yet," Draco answered, bade her adieu shortly thereafter, and hung up before she could reciprocate the farewell.

Unsurprised by the gesture, though exasperated no less, Eleanor rolled her eyes, plugged in her iPod, and returned to the laundry. She prepared a pasta carbonara lunch for herself and her boys, put Sebastian down for a nap once he'd eaten, and then settled down for a brief kip of her own.

-!- -#-

 **Author's Note:** Remember, no Season 11 spoilers. I decided to split Eleanor's birthday into two chapters. Hope you enjoyed the first half. Thanks for all of your support. Until next time. -t.


	5. Part 1: Chapter 5

**All That You Are**

 **Part One: The Reaper**

" **Bad things happen to everyone. It isn't your experiences that define your life. It's your responses that make or break you." - Unknown.**

 **Chapter Five: The Birthday II**

When Aaron arrived, their collective boys were settled in front of the television, 'Finding Nemo' in the DVD player. Teddy was mostly preoccupied by his handheld game console, but the younger three - Anthony, Jack, and Sebastian - were enraptured by the movie.

"How are you?" Aaron enquired. They were seated on the porch, and Jack could be heard waxing poetic about 'Finding Nemo' to Anthony and Sebastian. No doubt, neither of them understood much of what he was actually saying, but it seemed Disney Pixar transcended language barriers.

"I'm alright," she answered, "Tired, but that's nothing new."

"I imagine you're used to it by now," Aaron mused.

"I suppose I am," she agreed, a rueful grin on her face, "Though there are some things I don't think I'll ever grow accustomed to."

"Such as…?"

"Such as labour, for one," she answered glibly. Aaron seemed unsure of whether or not he ought to laugh, and Eleanor continued, "And when I feel the baby kick, it's… it's something else."

Aaron, seeming moved, cleared his throat, and queried, "Do you know the gender yet?"

"I do, but mum's the word until the birth. Bit of a tradition Blaise and I started with Ant, and I guess I'm not really ready to let it go."

"Not with Teddy?"

Eleanor blinked, startled, and shook her head with a self-deprecating laugh. "I'm sorry, it seems like everyone I knew was already aware, I've never had to explain it. Blaise and I adopted Teddy when he was nearly two. Before that, he was my godson."

"His parents?"

"Passed away a few months after he was born. He lived with his grandmother for a while, but she grew ill, and I took him in as soon as I could."

"That's admirable. You were - what? - 19? How did you manage?"

"Blaise helped a lot," Eleanor admitted, "Our wedding was four months away, and he'd just started getting involved with his family's business, but he was determined to be as much a part of Teddy's life as I was, and Teddy adored him. Always has, really."

"He sounds like he was an amazing man."

"He was," she confirmed, "I miss him every day."

"I'm sorry he's gone."

"As am I," she acknowledged, glanced into the living room, and smiled. "I'm sorry for bringing him up. I'm like a broken record."

"He was a massive part of your life, and likely always will be," Aaron answered, "I'd be a fool if I expected anything less."

"And you are no fool, are you?"

"I try not to be, though I do have my moments."

She laughed, humoured. "I'm sure we all do."

As Eleanor sipped at her Sprite, her attention was diverted by a disturbance at the very edge of her wards. The feeling itself was rather peculiar, a seeming 'nudge' on the edge of her consciousness, but they indicated a malicious presence near the house, though he - and it was a he - wasn't magical.

It wasn't Valentino, back for her boys, at least. That said, she wouldn't disregard the possibility that Valentino may have hired someone, or delegated the task to one of his _associates_.

"Is everything alright?" Aaron enquired.

"I'm not sure," she answered. As she did, a camera flash lit up the darkness, and Aaron's gaze honed in on the disturbance. "I don't know who that is."

Her soulmate frowned, and answered gravely, "I'm afraid I might. Let's get inside."

Eleanor didn't protest, and instead shuffled into the living room ahead of Aaron. He closed the sliding doors behind him, and Eleanor closed the electric blinds. "Is there any chance you've got cameras at those gates of yours?"

"I do," Eleanor confirmed, smiled wryly, and added, "It mightn't seem like it, but I've annoyed some dangerous people over the years. I've learned to be cautious."

She treaded her way around small limbs and enraptured children, paused the movie with the remote, and met with a round of protests for the effort.

"Jack," Aaron chided, "You are a guest."

" _Behave yourself_." Eleanor clicked her tongue, disapproving, and her own boys' expressions grew chagrined. " _We're going to go eat dinner in the kitchen. How about you show Jack the way?_ "

Anthony and Sebastian took Jack's hands in one of their's, and they raced out of the room, babbling between themselves. Eleanor and Aaron watched them go, before Teddy caught their attention.

"What's wrong, Mama?" He'd donned his suppression bracelet to keep his metamorph magic restrained, though Eleanor could still picture the dull brown it would have turned. He was worried, and rightfully so.

"We're not sure yet, Teddy, but will you go into the kitchen, please? Maybe serve them their dinner? And make sure they stay there."

Teddy hesitated, glanced between them, and acquiesced with a reluctant nod. When he was gone, Eleanor glanced at Aaron, frowning herself. All the while, the man's presence pinged at the edge of her awareness, and the witch was at a loss.

"Did you want to see the video feed, then?" She wondered.

"It's here?" He asked, surprised.

"Yes," she confirmed, "It goes to the security company I've hired as well, but I have a remote feed to a laptop here, too. I'll just go get it, shall I?"

Eleanor didn't wait for an answer, and retreated to the study in search of her laptop. She returned promptly, unwilling to spend much time separated from her children. Her heart was a rapid beat in her chest, and her hands trembled as she logged in, but the video feed was opened without incident, and they both watched it in silence.

"Damn," Aaron muttered, produced his phone, and called a number he had on speed dial. She noted, absently, that he was inexorably tense.

"Your bad guy, then?" She quipped, glanced towards the blinded windows, and prayed that, whoever he was, he wasn't armed. It was rather difficult to tell in the gloom, and the live stream didn't make it any easier to determine.

"Unfortunately, he is," Aaron confirmed, and the admission seemed to exhaust him to his bones, "I'll explain in a moment- Rossi? It's Hotch; I've got eyes on Foyet."

Eleanor left Aaron to his phone call, and retreated into the kitchen. Teddy had successfully managed to serve the boys dinner and drinks, and they were each silent as they ate.

At least until Jack caught sight of her.

"Where's my Daddy, Miss Elle?"

"he's on the phone at the moment, sweetie," Eleanor replied, served herself a helping of fried rice and some sweet and sour pork, and stirred it around in her bowl. Her stomach was in knots, her back taught like a bow string, and she wasn't sure she'd be able to eat if she tried.

The anticipation was awful, the mystery more so.

Who was this person, and why was Aaron so concerned? Moreover, was he a threat to her children? She assumed as much, simply by Aaron's reaction and what the wards told her, but to what extent?

"He's gone," Aaron informed her in an undertone, "A colleague of mine is going to do a drive-by, see if he left anything behind. I'm so sorry; if I'd known this would happen, I'd have never suggested it."

"It's fine," she assured, "We can handle this. I just need to know what I'm dealing with here. Who is Foyet, and what has he done?"

"The general public knows him as the 'Boston Reaper', and he is, perhaps, my greatest failure."

 **Author's Note:** With Criminal Minds Season 11 (finally) released on the Australian iTunes, I was able to watch 'The Job'. The rest of the episodes will be released on a weekly basis, but I thought I'd share my opinion. Tell me not to if you aren't interested. Also, possible spoiler alert.

I thought it was simultaneously dull and intense. Very suspenseful regarding the plot, but rather lacking in any substantial character interaction. I thought the best parts were Hotch's conversation with JJ (niceguy!Hotch is such a rarity) and Spencer's ramble in the grenade scene. In all, decent, but not what I'd been looking forward to. It seems like this season's major plot will be focused on Morgan though, which should be interesting.

Hope you enjoyed this chapter. Did you expect Foyet so soon? I certainly didn't. :S Anyway, until next time, folks. -t.


	6. Part 1: Chapter 6:

**All That You Are**

 **Part One: The Reaper**

" **Bad things happen to everyone. It isn't your experiences that define your life. It's your responses that make or break you." - Unknown.**

 **Chapter Six: The Cavalry**

At length, Aaron spoke about George Foyet. He spoke of the BAU's initial investigation in 2001, of courseAaron's research in the years since, and of the team's ill-fated return to Boston in March.

It wasn't a pretty story, and neither did Eleanor expect it to be. She was surprised, though, that Aaron hadn't sugarcoated it. Grateful, because it would allow her to better protect her family, but surprised nonetheless.

"I've grown to despise that city," he said idly. There was a story there, one beyond the Boston Reaper, but Eleanor didn't pry.

She supposed she could understand the sentiment. After her third year at Hogwarts, she'd grown to hate the castle, to hate all that it represented, and 16 years later, that resentment still festered. It probably always would.

There were only so many times a place could chew you up and spit you out before you finally had enough.

"And so he's - what - stalking you?"

"I hadn't thought so, but after tonight, it's fairly safe to assume he is," Aaron replied honestly, "It complicates matters."

"I'll say," she agreed.

On the dining table, Aaron's phone buzzed with an incoming message. At the same time, she 'felt' someone approach the gates, and the video feed registered a black, nondescript SUV.

"That'll be Dave," Aaron observed, retrieved his phone, and glanced at it briefly. "He's brought the cavalry."

"The rest of your team?" Eleanor assumed.

"Excepting JJ and Garcia," he confirmed, "I might join them, if that's alright?"

"Of course," Eleanor acknowledged, "I'll watch over Jack."

The boy in question was sprawled out across one end of their sectional, fast asleep. He shared a pillow with Sebastian, also asleep, while Anthony avidly watched the rest of the movie. Teddy, she knew, had disappeared down the hall.

"Thank you."

"It's not a problem," Eleanor assured, "Just let your team know they're welcome to come in when you're all done."

"I will."

When he was gone, Eleanor began to prepare herself a cup of hot cocoa, thoughts a whirlwind. She was under no illusions that, whatever vendetta Foyet had against Aaron, he would not hesitate to turn her family into collateral damage, and she would simply not let that happen.

How to prevent it, though?

" _Is everything alright, Mama?_ "

Teddy was in the doorway, freshly showered and clad in his pyjamas. There was, also, a frown on his face.

" _Things could be better,_ " she answered, " _But they have been worse._ "

Teddy, not particularly comforted by her answer, produced a mug from the cupboard, set it down beside her own, and then settled himself on the counter.

"Where is Mr Hotchner?"

"He's outside, Teddy. He'll be back soon."

"What is he doing outside?"

"It's something to do with his work, love. Leave it alone, alright?" She set down his hot chocolate in front of him, poured her own, and sipped it slowly.

"Alright, Mama," Teddy conceded, and turned his attention to the drink in front of him.

Eleanor smiled fondly, carded a hand through his hair, and followed his lead. As she did, she thought over possible means of ensuring her family's safety, and idly wondered if it was presumptuous to include Aaron and Jack in the equation, too..

Perhaps Aaron's ex-wife, Haley, as well?

Something to consider, she supposed, but not tonight.

-!- -#-

Aaron approached the front gates at a steady clip, unlocked it with the keys Eleanor had thrown his way, and met his colleagues on the other side. The front lawn was lit up by fluorescent security lights, and in stark relief, his team was openly, unabashedly curious.

Aaron was surprised they'd all been available, in truth. Morgan, in particular, had something of a rampant social life, and the team had been on standdown since the anthrax debacle a couple of weeks prior.

He wasn't about to look a gift horse in the mouth, however.

"Hey," he greeted, "Thanks for coming."

"Of course we would," Dave answered, cast his gaze around him, and pried, "Where, exactly, are we?"

"This is a friend's place," Aaron hedged, "Her security cameras caught Foyet in front of the gates. He pointed to the location in question, but Rossi's attention was fixed on other things.

"A _lady_ friend?"

God, but Dave's ability to scent out drama was something else.

Nearby, Prentiss smothered a snort, and Aaron stared at Dave, stone faced. Reid and Morgan, while they each smothered their own humour behind grins and stifled chuckles, had illuminated their torches, silently scanning the lawn. Prentiss followed suit.

"Well?" Dave pressed.

"I've known her a week," Aaron deadpanned.

"Oh, so it's the _whirlwind_ kind, is it?"

"No, and whenever you meet her, please don't suggest that," Aaron requested.

"Talking about meeting the family already, are you?"

As Aaron suppressed the desire to punch his longtime friend in the face, the conversation - blessedly - was disrupted by the team's favourite genius.

"I think I've got something," Reid called. He donned a pair of gloves, picked something up from the grass, and raised the familiar leather billfold. As he did, he wore a grimace on his face.

"That's mine," Morgan said, though the observation was unnecessary. They all recognised it, after all.

It was Morgan's FBI badge and identification, taken during he and Foyet's confrontation in March. The sight of it in front of Eleanor's house - where their respective children had ate, played, and presently slept - left a heavy knot of dread in his stomach, but Aaron couldn't bring himself to voice what was on all of their minds.

Maybe, if it remained unspoken, it wouldn't be true. A childish hope, no doubt, but one the BAU Unit Chief clung to, regardless.

After a drawn out sigh, Rossi raised the question in Aaron's stead. "So, is this a taunt, or a threat?"

Aaron frowned, displeased. George Foyet - omnivore, hebephile, narcissist - was nearly impossible to predict, and the fact left a sour taste in his mouth. "I don't know, Dave."

And that fact, with the knowledge of what was at stake, absolutely terrified him.


	7. Part 1: Chapter 7

**All That You Are**

 **Part One: The Reaper**

" **Bad things happen to everyone. It isn't your experiences that define your life. It's your responses that make or break you." - Unknown.**

 **Chapter Seven: The BAU**

Aaron's team was a study in contrasts, different to each other as night and day. They were all polite though, and she appreciated that they'd jumped to help their colleague without a moment's hesitation. It was rare to find friends like that, comrades baptised by blood and fire. She supposed she shouldn't have expected anything less from men and women who hunted serial killers for a living, but then, Eleanor wasn't sure of what, exactly, she'd expected.

"Did you want me to take the boys to their rooms?" Aaron asked.

"Would you mind?" She hesitated, "I'd do it myself, but…"

"But no heavy lifting," Aaron finished, "It's not a problem."

"Thank you," she smiled, glanced towards Aaron's colleagues, and queried, "Can I get you anything to drink?"

The general consensus was coffee, and although Eleanor was mildly bemused given the hour, she acquiesced with a nod. SHe'd grown rather fond of the beverage herself - more or less unavoidable, in Italy - but given her pregnancy, she'd not yet touched the moka pot she'd brought from Turin.

"I hope you like espresso," she advised.

"I'm Italian," Rossi glibly answered.

"What does that have to do with anything?" Derek Morgan challenged.

Eleanor left them to their debate, retreated to the kitchen, and began to prepare the requested drinks.

They were still arguing the matter when she returned, tray of espresso cups in hand, begrudgingly accompanied by creamer and sugar, and Aaron on her heels. She settled in the outdoor chair beside his, her hands curled around a chilled glass of water.

"Did you find anything?"

"We did," Aaron confirmed, "We're _assuming_ that he views you as a target. There is, however, the possibility that this is only a taunt to me, personally. Either way, we're not taking your safety lightly."

Eleanor traced her fingertips over the swell of her belly in slow, measured strokes. She thought of her boys, of Teddy and Anthony and Sebastian, and queried, "How can we minimise the threat he poses?"

"At this point in time, our best option is a protective detail. We'll have to clear it with the brass, but your safety is our priority."

"What about Jack and Hayley? Can you assume that, given he's followed you here, he's followed you to her place, too?"

Aaron's face was grim. "It's extremely likely, yes. Unfortunately, we don't have enough information to accurately determine that."

She exhaled slowly. It was exceedingly tempting to lash out at them - at Aaron - but Eleanor refrained. It wasn't his fault that a serial killer had chosen to target him. It was unfortunate, certainly, but Eleanor had dealt with worse. Moreover, She'd also learned, through bitter experience, that bouts of temper would get her nowhere.

"Alright," she acknowledged, "Act under the assumption that George Foyet is a threat to my and my children's lives. I can do that."

Was this how her parents had felt, she wondered? Horrified and terrified and fiercely determined to protect her babies with all she had to give?

Before hysteria could set in, she changed the subject, took advantage of the opportunity to learn of Aaron through his colleagues, observed as the five of them bantered between themselves. They called him Hotch, and each other by their surnames, but their was an undeniable closeness between them, too. These people had fought and bled together, had stood side by side against some of the worst humanity had to offer, and bonds like that ran deep.

"How long have you lived here?" Emily asked.

"About three weeks," Eleanor replied, "It's quite lovely."

"You say that now," Emily laughed, "Wait until you're gridlocked on the highway in the middle of peak hour traffic. You'll change your mind then. Where were you before?"

"Turin for 10 years," Eleanor answered, "Britain before that."

"What brings you to America?"

"I couldn't stay. Things were… complicated."

Not only had it been agonising to cremate her husband, to ghost through the home they'd made their own, but she hadn't been able to look at Carmella without wanting to commit homicide. It would have been justified, certainly, but Valentino would have taken offence, and despite she and Blaise's lack of involvement in the illegal side of the family business, Eleanor was aware that such actions would only harm her in the long run. Moreover, she had been petrified that Carmella would again do something stupid, and Eleanor had been unwilling to stick around to learn what the fallout would be.

"It's always complicated," Emily acknowledged, "I'm sorry for your loss, for what it's worth."

"Thank you," she answered, and changed the subject, "Have you always lived here?"

"Actually no," she denied, "I've lived here for about four years now, but before then, I was based out of London."

They chatted about the city for a time, comparing places they'd visited and the like. Eventually, however, Eleanor started yawning and the cavalry made their excuses to leave.

"Will one of you be staying?" Eleanor asked, glancing between the six agents.

"I'll stay," Aaron volunteered.

Without protest, the others made their farewells and left. Rossi insisted that they'd meet again under better circumstances and kissed both of her cheeks, and thus she was chuckling when she locked the walk-in gate behind them.

"I'll set up the guest room for you, then."

"You don't have to do that," he insisted, "I can take the couch."

"Not a chance, Hotchner. You're taking the guest room."

It didn't take her long, and by the time she was done, Aaron had more or less finished what was left of the kitchen clean up. She rolled her eyes at the sight, though admittedly, it was nice not to have to worry about it herself.

"The en suite is stocked," she informed him, "You'll find towels and the like beneath the sink. I'm afraid I haven't got a change of clothes for you, however."

"That's not a problem," he assured, "I keep a go bag in my car in case I get called into work, so I'll just grab that."

"Good," she acknowledged, hesitated briefly, and then eventually said, "Thank you. For the protective detail, I mean. I know we're mostly strangers, but I appreciate it."

"You don't need to thank me. If I hadn't come here…"

"You know, if you think like that, it will eventually destroy you. Anyway, I also wanted to thank you for dinner. Foyt notwithstanding, I had a nice time."

"I'm glad," Aaron said, tone and smile earnest, "That was what I was hoping for."

Eleanor knew, realistically, that they would have to discuss the Foyet issue further. If nothing else, they needed to discuss ways they could ensure their respective children's' safety, but also, she felt obliged to inform Aaron that she wasn't completely helpless. As it was, however, it had been a long day, and Eleanor was tired. Thus, she locked up the house, bade him a good night, and excused herself to bed. There, she reflected and planned and imagined the conversation with Aaron the next morning, and fell asleep with her hand curled around her wand.

George Foyet wouldn't harm a hair on any of her babies' heads. She wouldn't let him.

 **Author's Note:** Not particularly thrilled by the ending to this chapter.

Apologies for the long wait. I started uni a few weeks ago, so that's more or less taken up most of my life. Also other things, including a Criminal Minds/Harry Potter crossover I'm obsessed with called 'Fate and Choice'. Read it, if you haven't already. You won't regret it.

Before that, writer's block, blah blah blah. You know the drill. Anyway, thanks for reading to any of you who've stuck around. Hope you enjoyed. Until next time, -t.


	8. Part 1: Chapter 8

**All That You Are**

 **Part One: The Reaper**

" **Bad things happen to everyone. It isn't your experiences that define your life. It's your responses that make or break you." - Unknown.**

 **Chapter Eight: The Light of Day**

Aaron was already up and about when Eleanor woke, watchful gaze on the boys while they played in the yard. He nursed a mug of coffee as he tapped out a message on his phone, and she joined him on the porch with the bowl of fruit he'd left for her in the fridge, accompanied by some yoghurt, some toast, and a glass of orange juice.

"Good morning," Aaron greeted, "Did you sleep all right?"

"Well enough," Eleanor answered, yawning, "Did you? I always hate to sleep in unfamiliar beds."

Aaron's smile was wry. "It's something I've grown quite accustomed to."

She arched an eyebrow, amused, and Aaron stuttered. His cheeks flamed.

"With work," he added, coughed uncomfortably, and clarified, "My team and I regularly travel around the country to assist with particularly difficult cases."

"Of course," she acknowledged, watched with a fond grin as Teddy chased the younger boys around the yard,, and then turned her attention back to her soulmate. "Thank you for taking care of them this morning. I didn't realise how tired I was."

"It was mostly Teddy, honestly," Aaron answered, "I just made sure he didn't hurt himself."

"He's a good boy," Eleanor dabbed at teary eyes, "I'm so proud of him, but God, I wish he didn't have to grow up so fast. He's only 11."

"Children are resilient," Aaron offered, "They might never stop missing their dad, but they'll be all right."

She smiled wetly, accepted the handkerchief he offered her, and rolled her eyes, self-deprecating. "I'm sorry. I'm stupidly hormonal right now. I promise I'm not normally this weepy."

"You have nothing to apologise for," Aaron assured, and briefly squeezed her hand across the outdoor dining table. He was careful not to let the gesture linger, and she wondered briefly if the physical distance was for her, or for himself.

"I won't let myself be an emotional wreck when there are more important things to focus on. I can fall apart later."

Eleanor had mastered the art of compartmentalising over the years, more so in the last few months, and she wasn't going to break at the first indication of trouble. It wouldn't only upset her boys, but she was stronger than that. Moreover, soulmate or no, Aaron was still a relative stranger, and she wasn't particularly keen on exposing him to the rest of her weaknesses just yet.

"I'm truly sorry for the trouble."

"It's not your fault," she answered, "You can't apologise for someone else's actions."

It had taken her a long time to accept that. She'd carried around the guilt of her parents' deaths, Cedric's and Sirius' as well, for years, and it had taken time, distance, and therapy for her to understand that, at least where her parents and Cedric were concerned, she had not been at fault in the slightest. Sirius was a little more complicated, but the epiphany had set her free in many ways, had helped her move on from the horrors she'd experienced as an adolescent, and she wasn't about to let someone else endure that same regret.

Aaron didn't appear convinced, but he knew enough not to press the issue. Instead, he patiently answered the questions Eleanor asked him, about his work, his colleagues, his family, until she had finished her breakfast, had drained the last of her orange juice, and had carefully thought out what she wanted to say.

"I have something to tell you," she admitted, "It will impact what we do from here, I think. Do you have time? It will take a while."

In her shower that morning, Eleanor had resolved to tell Aaron of magic. She was a firm believer in full disclosure, and if nothing else, it would be good for them to part ways if it wasn't something he could tolerate. Presently, any separation would not be made complicated by close personal attachments and the like, and quite frankly, she would prefer to save her boys from possible heartache. They'd already endured enough.

And that, of course, didn't take into consideration her own feelings, but she'd lived almost 30 years without her soulmate. She could live the rest of her life without him, too.

"I do," Aaron confirmed, "Jack and I haven't got anything planned today."

"Great," she acknowledged, lifted herself from her seat, and gathered up her used dishes, "Did you want some more coffee?"

"I'd love some, thank you."

-!- -#-

With their drinks replenished, Eleanor settled herself back in the chair across from Aaron, spared a moment to calm her rattling nerves, and then delved right in.

"I know this is going to sound utterly mad, but please bear with me, Aaron. I can promise you I'm not lying, and I'm honestly just hoping that you keep an open mind long enough to believe me.

"When I was 11, I was visited by a man who introduced himself as Rubius Hagrid. He'd known me as an infant, and he'd been fairly well acquainted with my parents, and he told me that I was a witch. I was fairly insulted, actually, but then he explained that I could actually harness magic, and that there was an entire community of people, worldwide, who could do the same."

Before Aaron could speak, Eleanor conjured a small ball of light in her palm. It was one of very few spells she could do wandlessly, learned in order to soothe little children in the dark, and the sight of it left her soulmate speechless.

"What you need to know, right now, is that the existence of the magical world is a secret sanctioned by governments across the globe, and the only reason you're permitted to know about it is because you're the soulmate of a magical person. I know you have a lot of questions, and I am prepared to answer them all to the best of my ability, but I imagine you're quite shocked right now."

Aaron slumped back in his seat, his expression dumbfounded, and stared, dazed, at the tabletop between them. Eleanor let him absorb the revelation in silence, content to watch their boys while the new information washed over him. Despite the language barrier, Jack and Sebastian were fast friends, Anthony as well, and all three of them were eager to follow Teddy around with wide eyes and open, guileless faces.

Teddy's patience wasn't everlasting, however, and it was apparent he'd grown tired of babysitting. As such, Eleanor set the younger boys up in front of another movie - Cars, this time - while Teddy retreated to his bedroom, and to the books he'd neglected since their move to America.

By the time she returned to the porch, Aaron had collected himself, and he was eager to ask her his questions.

She spent a while answering them, about magic, about the magical communities in America and Britain, about the secrecy, the laws, and anything else the man could think of.

Eventually, he asked her why she'd told him.

"A few reasons," she shrugged, "But mainly because I didn't want to wait, only for you to take it badly when I eventually _did_. I'm not a fan of secrets, and I figured it was something you deserved to know before you got attached, if only to let you decide if it's something you can live with. That aside, magic can also help with the whole Foyet issue, and it was easier to tell you than try work around you. I'm not completely defenceless, you see?"

"Quite," Aaron agreed wryly, "This changes things."

As Aaron drained the last of his cold coffee, they hashed out the details of their plans. Eleanor would organise magical protections for she and her boys, and for Aaron, Jack, and Hayley as well. As she did so, she would also explain the reasons behind each protection, and Aaron would use his authority to supplement those protections with whatever the FBI could offer.

It would surely raise a lot of eyebrows on the non-magical side of things, but if it kept them all safe, she wasn't about to hesitate. She had lost too much already to risk the safety of her babies.

As it happened, Aaron was enthused by the prospect of further protection, and he apparently had no qualms concerning their origins.

As far as magic was concerned, Eleanor was aware that it was something she and Aaron would have to speak of further, but such conversations could wait for a rainy day. Until then, they both had important things to be doing, and Eleanor had no real desire to waste whatever time they had before George Foyet made another - more violent - appearance.

 **Author's Note:** Hey readers. Sorry for the long wait. Season 11 kind of killed any love I had for Criminal Minds, so I had to get over that before I started working on this chapter. Still trying to get into the swing of Eleanor's character, and it's a bit rough. She's very blunt in this chapter, a bit more pragmatic and proactive than indicated in what I'd already posted, but I hope you like it anyway. Thanks for reading. Until next time, -t.


	9. Part 1: Chapter 9

**All That You Are**

 **Part One: The Reaper**

" **Bad things happen to everyone. It isn't your experiences that define your life. It's your responses that make or break you." - Unknown.**

 **Chapter Nine: The Waiting**

In the following fortnight, Eleanor bolstered the wards around her home, helped Teddy prepare for his first semester at the Virginia Institute of Magic, and kept a wary eye out for George Foyet whenever she left the safe confines of her Mountclair home. Aaron had done what he could as well, and a week after her ill-fated birthday celebration, she'd been plied with a panic button, pepper spray, and the guarantee of a security detail every night.

Evidently, the FBI took soulmate bonds very seriously. Even those of the platonic variety.

On another note, Draco was wholly unimpressed with her most recent drama, subsequently dismissive of Aaron, and insistent on a visit before Samhain. As such, Eleanor was stressed despite her best efforts, and it wasn't good for her health, or for her baby's. She was tired as well, plagued by nightmares of Blaise's death, and of the war of years prior, and she hadn't felt so rough since those first agonising weeks after Blaise's passing.

Predictably, Teddy had noticed, graced with that uncanny perception he'd inherited from Remus.

"I don't have to go," Teddy fretted, "I can stay here, take care of you and babysit Seb and Ant…"

Eleanor managed a tired smile, and combed a hand through her 11 year old's hair. "You need to go to school, darling."

Teddy leant into her hand, lips pursed between his teeth, and released an explosive sigh. "Are you sure you'll be all right?"

"We'll be just fine," she assured, "And besides, you'll be seeing us on Friday afternoon."

It was perhaps her favourite thing about the Virginia Institute, the fact students could return home on weekends. She wasn't sure why Hogwarts hadn't offered the same privilege, but given that it was likely none of her children would attend her alma mater, it wasn't something Eleanor dwelt on too much. She had far more important things to worry about, after all.

Teddy nodded to himself, reassured by the thought. Then he shouldered his backpack, reciprocated the hugs from his brothers and his mum, and then disappeared with the familiar swirl of blue indicative of an activated portkey. He offered her a smile as he left, one that was all Tonks, and Eleanor tried not to cry.

Merlin, but where had the time gone?

" _When is Teddy coming back?_ " Anthony asked.

"On Friday, baby," Eleanor answered, and then repeated it in Italian when he stared at her, uncomprehending.

" _When's that, Mama?_ "

" _It's in five sleeps, Antonio._ "

" _That's forever_ ," Sebastian contributed, and Eleanor privately agreed. The weekend couldn't arrive soon enough.

-!- -#-

With the team's respite from active duty at an end, and with a spate of missing persons in Detroit demanding their attention, Aaron and his colleagues flew to Michigan on a bright, sunny Wednesday.

Meanwhile, Anthony started school, Sebastian started daycare, and Eleanor was adrift, left to her own devices as, around her, life went on.

Even as the threat of George Foyet kept her vigilant, August was shaping up to be a rather emotional month. She couldn't even attribute it all to her hormones, though they _were_ a contributing factor.

Rather, she was lonely, and until George Foyet was caught, she was reluctant to make any strides towards socialising.

She prayed he'd be caught soon.

-!- -#-

After her 28 week appointment with Healer Wallace, and with terms like 'chronic hypertension' and 'superimposed preeclampsia' rattling around in her brain, Eleanor picked up Anthony from school, and then headed over to collect Sebastian from daycare.

As she'd come to expect from them, Jack and Sebastian were playing with their race cars, but this time, they were also accompanied by a woman Eleanor had never seen. Judging by Jack's striking resemblance to her, however, and the fact he wasn't at all concerned by her presence - Eleanor would eat her hat if Aaron Hotchner had not taught his son about stranger danger - then this was Hayley Brooks; Jack's mother, and Aaron's ex-wife.

How very awkward.

"Mama!" Sebastian greeted her with a hug, hid behind her legs, and clutched onto her blouse like a lifeline, "Missed you."

"Miss Elle!" Jack greeted simultaneously, in that way of young children everywhere (re: loudly). He didn't, however, move from his mother's side.

"Hey, Jack," Eleanor greeted, content to comb her free hand through her youngest's hair. Beside her, Anthony waved, "And Jack's mum, too. You must be Hayley, yes? Aaron speaks highly of you."

"You know him well?" Hayley asked, blue eyes narrowed shrewdly. She wasn't hostile, mercifully, but there was certainly a degree of scrutiny there.

"I met him a few weeks ago," Eleanor answered honestly, "He's a friend, but I'm sorry, where are my manners? I'm Eleanor, Eleanor Zabini. You've met Sebastian, of course, and this is Anthony."

Anthony pulled his index finger from his mouth, waved once more, and then started biting his fingertip once again. Meanwhile, Eleanor and Hayley made awkward small talk until they both decided it was far too excruciating, and proceeded to make excuses to leave.

As she did so, Eleanor hoped the next meeting - whenever that may be - would not wind up being so uncomfortable.

-!- -#-

Despite the awkward encounter with Aaron's ex-wife, Eleanor's afternoon, and the evening that followed, proceeded uneventfully. She made a phone call to England while her boys played in the yard, spoke with Hermione about her visit with the healer, and with Molly, as well. Plans were made, dates finalised for Molly's visit to Virginia, and all the while, Eleanor prepared an early dinner for herself and her boys.

She made too much. Again.

After she'd said her farewells to Hermione and Molly on the other end of the line, and once they'd all eaten, Eleanor helped Anthony with his English, sounding out letters, words, and sentences, translating them into Italian and back, and helping him to write them out, too.

Eventually, the homework was finished, baths were had, and the boys were put in bed. Aaron texted with word that he'd arrived in Virginia, and they texted while she cleaned. There was a point, however, when he didn't reply, and assuming he'd fallen asleep, Eleanor let him be.

It was a decision she'd regret for the rest of her life.

-!- -#-

 **Author's Note:** So, hey there. How's it going? It's been a while.

Honestly, I thought this story was dead, but then, what do you know? Inspiration struck. It's not much, but it's something…

Thanks for sticking with me. You're amazing. Until next time, whenever that may be. -t.


End file.
